ANALYSIS OF GENOMIC STRUCTURE OF HEPATITIS G VIRUS (GBV-C/HGV) AND DEVELOPMENT OF SENSITIVE DETECTION SYSTEM OF THE VIRAL GENOME

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During 1995 and 1996, a possible agent for non-A to E hepatitis, designated hepatitis G virus (HGV) or GB virus C (GBV-C), was discovered in the United States. In this research project, the entire nucleotide sequence of Asian HGV strain (GT230 [9390 nucleotides]) was determined and its genomic organization was characterized. The GT230 isolate lacked a clearly identifiable core gene as in the reported isolates. The 3'-untranslated region was highly conserved and utilized as a target for the sensitive detection of HGV RNA of all five genotypes (G1-G5) by the RT-PCR.HGV RNA was detected in 15 (1.2%) of the 1303 healthy blood donors. Of the 2979 women, 32 (1.1%) were positive for HGV RNA.Twenty-six (77%) of 34 babies born to these viremic women were positive for the virus, indicating that HGV is frequently transmitted from mother to infant in the general population. The most critical factor was the HGV viral load in the maternal serum. The genotype G3 was prevalent in healthy individuals and hepatitis patients. Whereas other genotypes of HGV were frequently found in patients with hemophilia who had received imported coagulation factor concentrates in the past.The HGV prevalence in patients with non-B non-C chronic liver disease was comparable with that in patients with type B or type C chronic liver disease, and no difference was observed in demographic features, biochemical factors and histological findings among patients with or without HGV, suggesting that the contribution of HGV infection to liver diseases of unknown etiology would be small. However, certain HGV strain (s) or emerging variant (s) may be pathogenic under special clinical and epidemiological settings. We must keep HGV under suspicion and under study. More evidence is needed before we can reach a final decision about the pathogenesis of HGV.